Publications 2017

ODAC with the support of fesmedia Africa are exceptionally excited to launch the latest research on the state of access to information in Africa.So, how best might you be able to use this report?- Each country comes with a one page summary for easy circulation.- Each country also has a slightly longer detailed analysis.- The report as a whole can be read as a snapshot of the access to information environment.- There are also some trend analysis over the twelve countries considered together.Download the report here
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The Right to Information in Africa - Manual for Public Officials was conceived by AFIC, designed by CLD and supported by FES. This manual was prepared by Michael Karanicolas, Legal Officer at the CLD and Toby Mendel, Executive Director of the CLD. Feedback on the initial draft was provided by Gilbert Sendugwa, Coordinator & Head of Secretariat of AFIC. We are grateful to AFIC members: Society for Democratic Initiatives (Sierra Leone), Media Institute of Southern Africa and Correctif (Democratic Republic of Congo) for pilot testing the draft manual with public officials and civil society representatives. We deeply appreciate the contribution of those public officials and civil society representatives in Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone who piloted the tool and provided valuable inputs based on their specific country and agency setting. Other members of AFIC reviewed the draft and made useful comments which contributed to the overall quality of the manual. It is our aim that this Manual will help public officials to incorporate access to information in their everyday work and to engage with civil society and the media in the common interest of development and prosperity for Africa.
Our hope is that this Manual will help journalists to incorporate access to information in their everyday work and to engage with governments and civil society in the common interest of development and prosperity for Africa.
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The Right to Information in Africa - Manual for Journalists was conceived by AFIC, designed by FAJ and supported by FES. This manual was prepared by Dr. Fola Adeleke to whom we are grateful for his expertise and dedication, amongst others, in the areas of human rights, freedom of information and promoting transparency. We are grateful to FAJ members: Syndicat National des Professionnels de la Presse (SNPP) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and to Sindicato dos Journalistas Angolas (SJA) in Angola for pilot testing the draft manual with journalists to ensure its applicability throughout Africa whilst taking regional differences into consideration. The journalists who piloted the tool provided valuable inputs based on their specific country settings for which we are appreciative. Our thanks also go to the staff of AFIC, FAJ and FES who contributed their insights and support to this publication.
Our hope is that this Manual will help journalists to incorporate access to information in their everyday work and to engage with governments and civil society in the common interest of development and prosperity for Africa.

As organisations which are committed to promoting good governance in Africa, the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) and fesmedia Africa of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) are convinced that the right to access information of public interest can be exercised in practice only if the public sector assumes its respective responsibilities under access to information legislation, and if civil society and journalists are active users of the system. For this reason three training manuals directed at Public Officials, Civil Society and Journalists have been compiled into one work.
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The Code of Ethics forms part of the Editors Forum of Namibia (EFN) constitution, and was amended to include elements contained under the Communications Act. The EFN launched a re-vised self-regulating code of ethics and conduct on Wednesday 10th May 2017 during the belated World Press Freedom Day Celebrations in Windhoek, Namibia.It places much emphasis on the protection of whistle-blowers, the pluralism of media as well as a revision of complaints procedures
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